CAIRO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on Monday exchanged views and assessments on developments in the Gaza Strip during a phone conversation.
According to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the two sides addressed the joint efforts of Egypt, the United States, and Qatar to release the Israeli hostages, de-escalate the situation, and consolidate and implement the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
The two sides also emphasized the need to continue working together to achieve security, peace, and stability in the Middle East, said the statement.
For his part, Witkoff commended the important role played by Egypt in achieving regional security, peace, and stability, the statement said.
He also praised Egypt's efforts, along with Qatar, in trying to reach a solution that would guarantee the release of the hostages and establish a ceasefire in Gaza, the statement said.
Earlier on Monday, two informed Egyptian security sources told Xinhua that Egypt on Sunday night presented a new "urgent" proposal to Israel and Hamas aimed at "ending the war and resuming negotiations on the second stage of the preliminary ceasefire deal."
According to the new proposal, "Hamas will release five living Israeli hostages, including an Israeli-American soldier, in return for a ceasefire in the strip for 40 days to pave the way for talks on the second stage," revealed the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Hamas immediately agreed to Egypt's new proposal, the sources noted, without specifying whether the Israeli side has delivered a response.
The phone talks between Abdelatty and Witkoff came as Israel resumed strikes in Gaza on Tuesday after its ceasefire deal with Hamas that began on Jan. 19 unraveled. Israeli troops later launched ground operations in southern, northern, and central Gaza.
On Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that U.S. President Donald Trump "fully supports" Israel's renewed air and ground assault on Gaza.
According to Gaza-based health authorities, the death toll from the renewed Israeli assault on the enclave has topped 730. ■
